Suction-cleaner.



H. C. .NIEMEYEB- sucTloN CLEANER.

APPLICATION mail; Aus..1o,19xl.

` Patented May 23, l1916.

.SHEETS-SHEET 2.

HENRYO. NIEMEYER, OFVRACINE, WISCONSIN', ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO RICHIWOND RADIATR-COMPANY, OF NEW`-YORK, N AY., .A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

y To all it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY a citizen' of the United States, residing 1n the city of Racine, .county of Racine, andv at the same time shutting the irst tool out Ofbperation. This is of special advantage..

inthe types of portable vacuum cleaners wherein the entire vacuum producing mechanisms travel over the surface being cleaned. Such cleaners, while suitable for horizontal and substantially horizontal surfaces, are generally too heavy for cleaning vertical surfaces, such as side walls. It is, however, of material advantage to be able to use the suction creating mechanisms of such a floor vcleaning machine for producing the suction for tools used incleaning walls.

Referring' to the drawings, Figure 1 is a complete embodiment in outside view of the cleaner showing my improvements;

2 is a front view in elevation of my device connected to the cleaner mouth shown frag-v mentally in section, the securing` means be ing also shown in section; Fig. 3'is a plan '35 view of my device showing a fragment' of thepipe coupling; and Fig. 4 is aentral transverse sectional view. f

The present invention'is tion with a vacuum cleaning machine of 40 convenient construction, but which forms ,no part of the present invention and will therefore be but briefly described here. My

invention is 'not -limited to this single lcleaner, but is intended to close the mouth 4`5 of 'any type of suction tool and to provide means to connect a hose thereto which may bev used with othercleaning tools. It is ob- .vious' that noone specifically constructed device will properly 'seal every type of cleaner mouth. B ut such slight changes as will be necessaryl to 'adapt my invention to different types 1 of machines may be made Withinthe scope ofthe claims.

The cleaner here shown, comprises a casing having a central part A Vfor containing speciafio 'df Letters Patent.

C. NIEMEYER,

shown in connecsUc'rIoN-cLEfANER.

rammed May 23, 1916.

Application ledAugust 10, 1911. Serial No. 643,362.

a motor driven suction producing fan (not shown), an upper part B for containing the motor for driving the fan, and a lower part C having an open bottom forming the mouth D. This lower open face liskept in contact with the surface being cleaned, over which it is worked by means of a handle E held by the operator. The handle is adjustably secured to the casing by coupling vF, so that it may be adjusted to assume any angle relative thereto. This keeps the casing in uprightposit'ion, and enables it to be operated by persons of varying heights. The suction of'air is drawn by the fan in the well known manner through the 'mouth D, bringing with it the dust fromthe surface being cleaned. This passes through the fan casing, and enters a bag G -in communication withv the casing at one end and secured to the handle at the other,end,as by fastener H. The bag entraps the dust,.but is sufficiently porous to permit the air to escape. The motor is suitably connected to an electric switch I, which in turn is connected to the feed wires .I conveniently passed through` the handle to the free end thereof, where they are continued and connected to the supply source' (not shown). The handle is provided with 'a'crook K,l which I make use of, as will laterlappe'ar, but which is not vitally essential to my inveil-tron. Such a device, as is Y obvious, is well adapted-for" floor claning y wherev the weight of the mechanismsrests upon the floor. My device is -designed, to

cover the mouthof this cleaner, and to provide a couplingfOr a wall tool hose so that the vacuuniproducing mechanism in the floor machine may' havea double usefulness. My preferred construction .for accomplishing this is in the nature of a stand., having abase a and supporting legs b. A`

suiiicient number 'of'. legs are used to support the stand, but inthe embodiment here shown I -have 'only used two and have relied upon the crook K' in the cleaner handle E- for serving the oflice ofaileg, as shown inFig.1-. The base a here shown as an f elongated slot, beneath which is a chamber 0l. The chamber has a "side opening e for joining thereto the length of hose f. The hose mays'be secured in the openingin anydesired-m'anner. I prefer, however, to terminate .it a vslightly taperingv metal coupling' g`, and the hole in the is provided with an opening c, 'i

4chamber is given similar taper to suitably receive the coupling in slightly wedged connection. This makes a sufficiently tight joint for the' purposes intended, but one that is easily separated when desired. The free end of the hose is shown in'Fig. l coupled lwith a walll tool L' of well known construction, the illustration showing it in the act of being used on a wall. i

When using my device the mouth piece of the cleaner isset on the stand, which is of suitable size and formation to permit the opening in the mouth to register with the 1 opening in the stand, the cleaner and stand being otherwise yin airtight contact around their respective rims surrounding theholes. To lnsure a complete sealing of those parts asheet of yielding material 'la' as for instance a sheet of rubber having a hole z' co'r-v responding with'the hole in the stand, is secured thereon, and the cleaner is permitted to rest upon this. The weight ofthe cleaner will of itselfordinarily Acause an airtight joint with the rubber, but where feasible it is advisable to secure the two together. The

-means for accomplishing this will vary v somewhat according'to the formation of the.'

mouth of the cleaner. It is advisable to give the mouth of the cleaneran outward peripheral flare, forming a flange j. This affords admirable means for securing the stand andcl'eaner together. To accomplish this I- provide a rim h preferably of resilient sheet metal. This' is secured lto the stand by screws Z, which also'serve to hold the yielding sheet i in' place. The rim may be slightly' turned upward along the inner edge m to form a groove between it and-'the yielding bed. The rim extends on both sides of the stand, and may also continue around one end, as shown in the drawings, but one end, as n (Fig. 3), is left open. By such a' cleaner mouth'in spring construction rall that is necessary to make the union is to slide thel flange j of the cleaner mouth beneath the rim k from the open end to the opposite end. The rim will thus hold the cleaner'on the stand,'and fthe resiliency of the metal will aid in making a tight joint. The cleaner is as easily removed bysliding it in a reverse direction.

Having thus describediny invention, 1

claim 1.- A detachable coupling for the flanged l mouth of suction cleaner, comprisingv an v open top chamber having an outwardly ex.

tending top plate for setting over the mouth,

'said plate extending beyondthe ange `of the mouth, lsaid chamber having an orifice for receiving a pipeconnection and a resi1 ient band secured on the extended part 'of the plate for .receiving the flange of the cleaner mouthin spring pressed engagement between it and the plate, said-.band being.

open at one end to admit the cleaner. mouth and closed at theopposite end to form astop for said mouth.

2. A detachable coupling for theflanged y mouth of av suction cleaner, oomprisingan open top chamber having an outwardly ex# tending top plate for settlng over the mouth,

said plate extending beyond thetlange of thel mouth, said chamber having an .orifice for receiving a pipe connection and a lresilient band secured on the extended part of theplate for receivingqthe flange of the between 'itand the plate'. In testimony Iwhereof I-have hereunto set my hand in the presence'of two witnesses.

HENRY C. NIEMEYER.

y Witnesses: HENRY S. KEEFE,

' C. A. MCLAUGHLIN,

pressed engagement 

